Adequacy of Iodine Content and Level of Contaminants in Edible Salts Produced In Ethiopia
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Date
2016-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Edible salt is the most commonly used food additive. Therefore, the quality of this important
product needs to be certain as it can be a vehicle for a number of contaminants. This study was
aimed to investigate the level of iodine, the content of sodium chloride, loss of mass, matter
insoluble in water, sulphate, alkalinity, selected heavy metals and metal impurities, which are
expected to be contained in edible salt. In order to determine the contents of table salt and
common salt were collected from eight producers and re-packers which are located at different
parts of the country. The levels of iodine were determined by iodotitration and metal impurities
were estimated using FAAS after wet digestion of the salts. The value of iodine obtained for all
analyzed samples were found to be within the range of 71.76 ± 8.09-4.24 ± 1.06 mg/kg in which
87.5 % of both common salts and table salts samples were lower than the Ethiopian Standard
(ES) specification (60-80 ppm). The content of sodium chloride, Loss of mass, matter
insolubility, sulphate, alkalinity and pH ranged between 96.13 ± 0.24-98.98.5 ± 0.29, 0.23 ±
0.05-2.66,0.18 ± 0.00- 2.16 ± 0.38,0.13 ± 0.10-5.15 ± 0.37, 0.12 ± 0.074 - 0.95 ± 0.01,7.85 ±
0.05-8.75 ± 0.02 respectively. The heavy metals Cadmium, Lead and Zinc content of the studied
Table salt and Common salt remained lower than the permitted maximum for human
consumption as prescribed by ES specification and codex. However, calcium impurities found to
be 0.26 ± 0.05, 0.35 ±0.00, 1.63± 0.02, 1.52 ± 0.02,0.61 ± 0.01,0.41 ± 0.11,1.56± 0.52, 0.42 ±
0.02 which indicated that half of out of the four table salts samples meet the requirement set by
the ES. Magnesium content were found to be 1.96 ± 0.01, 2.60 ± 0.01, 4.17 ± 0.02, 3.83 ± 0.03,
1.79 ± 0.01, 0.82 ± 0.01, 4.39 ± 0.09and 2.57 ± 0.03, respectively in which only two of the two
table salts were below the ES. Iron content was ranged between 0.18 ± 0.00-0.56 ± 0.11, in
which half values for iron in both common salts and table salts were lower than the permitted
consumption level defined by ES. In general, the salts delivered to the community are poor in
their iodine content the quality of both the common and table salts have to be improved through
improving method of production and iodization as well. But, are safe with regard to their heavy
metals such as Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu.
Key words: Salt; Iodine; Metal Contaminants; Sodium Chloride; Loss of Mass; Matter Insoluble; Sulphate, Alkalinity; Ethiopian Standard
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Keywords
Salt; Iodine; Metal Contaminants; Sodium Chloride; Loss of Mass; Matter Insoluble; Sulphate, Alkalinity; Ethiopian Standard